Edmonton DATS operators unanimously vote to strike without progress on pay equity

The bus drivers helping Edmontonians with physical or cognitive disabilities get around the city voted unanimously on Sunday in favour of striking should ongoing negotiations falter.

Dedicated Accessible Transit Service (DATS) operators have been without a collective agreement since 2021. Since then, discussions between the city and the local Amalgamated Transit Union chapter have continued.

According to ATU Local 569 president Steve Bradshaw, those talks have begun to falter. DATS operators are seeking pay equity with Edmonton Transit Service operators, who are paid $2.68 per hour more.

Bradshaw says DATS operators are more than bus drivers as they act as caregivers for clients who often cannot be left alone and require extra assistance.

"It's a very physical role," Bradshaw told CTV News Edmonton during an interview that evening. "Some of the DATS clients can be difficult to manage in terms of being able to transport them from the bus to the building.

"[Often] they are in wheelchairs. Some of them are extremely heavy," he added. "But they do it. They go to work every day, and they do it.

"They care about these clients. They care about getting them to their essential services."

The earliest a potential job action could happen is the end of the month, given ongoing mediation and a cooling-off period before serving a strike notice.

Should negotiations fail, Bradshaw says DATS operators would use "innovative work disruptions" to ensure base service continues.

"What exactly those work disruption activities could be, we haven't determined in full yet," he explained. "Those will be available as we go down the road."

"This is not an easy step to take," Bradshaw added. "And the fact these members voted unanimously in favour of job action, in this instance, it's a real message to city council."

Bradshaw says Red Deer and St. Albert, along with seven other Canadian paratransit operators, pay their equivalent of DATS the same as conventional drivers. Two providers even pay a premium above normal bus drivers.

"These DATS drivers have every reason to expect that they should be treated the same as a conventional transit operator," Bradshaw said. "No reason they shouldn't. In my opinion, they should be paid a premium for the work they do."

The City of Edmonton released a written statement on the vote on Monday.

"DATS Operators are valued City employees who provide important mobility services for Edmontonians with accessibility challenges. They play an essential role in ensuring their riders are safe and able to participate in an urban lifestyle," Pat Hutchison of the city wrote.

"City of Edmonton DATS Operators' hourly rates are competitive with Paratransit Operators across Canada."

Hutchison added the city and the union are still in a mediation process, and labour disruption is not imminent.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Sean McClune